7 Things WE can do to Recover Holy Week and the Resurrection from Secular Society!
- Thoughtful Living
· Church seasons and the Church Calendar – too often we are afraid of reaching back into Christian tradition and using ancient wisdom because we simply don’t understand it and we tend to fear what we don’t understand. Yet for many centuries the Church practiced “thoughtful living” through employing a seasonal approach to their faith. By doing this, it allowed them to anticipate how one aspect of their faith would lead to another. Although the words may seem strange to us it doesn’t mean that we should treat them as strangers. Having a life-liturgy ordered by the seasons of our faith would help us recover Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday because they would be culmination of our year instead of a blip on the screen of church activities. So here is a suggested way of approaching the church season/calendar.
- “Pentecost Sunday” – May 27, 2011 The week leading up to Pentecost Sunday should be spent thinking about the work of the Spirit and personal examination concerning how your life is being lived in the Spirit.
- “Ordinary Times” – June 3/ November 25, 2011. The focus during this season is on the mission of the church (the presentation and proclamation of the gospel). This is the season for you to be more actively engaged in the mission of Christ for His church and the world.
- “Advent” – November 27/December 18, 2011. The time of quietness and preparation as you reflect on the incarnation of Jesus. The advent season prepares us to receive Jesus Christ who came in the flesh as the fulfillment of God’s promises.
- “Christmas” – December 25/January 5, 2012. Not just one day but twelve days to give the love of God with others in tangible and meaningful ways.
- “Epiphany” – January 8/19, 2012. The word Epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or "to reveal.” The idea is that we “show and tell” through examining what it means that Jesus came to earth. Reflecting on the gospel (especially the sermon on the Mount) is a valuable way to consider how we can reveal His kingdom that is among us. The last Sunday of Epiphany is generally celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday.
- “Lent” – February 22/April 6, 2012. This is the season for prayer and preparation leading up to Resurrection Sunday. This was traditionally reserved as the time to instruct (catechize) new Christians (those who were brought to faith during the previous seasons) about baptism and church membership.
- “Holy Week” – April 1 – 6, 2012. To reflect and commemorate the suffering of Jesus from Palm Sunday to Good Friday.
- “Resurrection Sunday” – April 7, 2012. Sunrise services, baptizing those who were instructed during the Lenten season, lively singing and renewal are part of the Easter service. But remember, we do not celebrate Easter on just one Sunday but fifty-two Sundays. Every Sunday the church should celebrate our resurrected life in Jesus Christ.
You can see how one “season” leads into another and could help us recover the deeper realities of the gospel connections between the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord. But what else can we do to recover Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday? Here are the other NINE ideas….
- Connect the Cross with the Empty Tomb – We are very well versed in the amazing truth that our sinful shame, guilt and condemnation were dealt the death blow through the death of Jesus Christ. But what did the empty tomb (the resurrection) accomplish? Connecting the two together will give greater hope and confidence in our relationship to God in Christ. Read regularly 1 Corinthians 15 to see more clearly how we have hope, victory and confidence through the Resurrection Reality.
- Be thoroughly Gospelized – to be “gospelized” is much more than knowing the gospel. It is being transformed by the gospel. Reflect on the Power behind the transformation and begin to talk about it in N.T. terminology – Philippians 3:8-10; Ephesians 1:18-21; Colossians 2:9-12.
- Resist the Urge to Over-Emphasize Christmas at the Expense of Holy Week and Easter – secular culture has such a powerful sway within the church. Because of the tug of “conformity” we spend considerable amount of resource (time and money) on Christmas and think very little about Holy Week and Easter. My encouragement is to resist the idea that Christmas is the most important event in the Christian community and spend more time talking with our families in preparation for Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday. This is where the “seasonal” approach to our faith would be an asset as each season leads us closer to the cross and empty tomb.
- Celebrate through Baptism, the Table and the Fellowship of the Church – the most vivid and powerful reminders of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus were given to the church by Jesus Himself. He showed us the way and now we must live in His Way. Baptism which symbolizes the burial and resurrection helps us connect the cross and the empty tomb. If you have not been baptized you are commanded to be baptized. If you have been baptized then “REMEMBER YOUR BAPTISM” as baptism is what the biblical writers called the church to remember. The Table leads us to participate with Christ in His ongoing ministry as our Great High Priest. He lives to make intercession for us as He mediates the new covenant. The Church in community-fellowship was a gift given to us so that we may encourage each other in our resurrected lives. Imagine the power of a unified group of believers who through intentional living continually encourage each other to live in the resurrection reality. You can read about a group who did this in Acts 2:37-47 and Hebrews 10:19-25.
- Plan in Advance to Participate in the Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday Activities – there is something impactful about coming close to the Cross in a concentrated and sustained way. The interaction with the Spirit and with each other as we think about the life of Jesus during the week between Palm Sunday and Good Friday is powerful. To rise early on Easter Sunday and gather for baptism, teaching and fellowship brings to our lives a much more vivid reality. But these things take time and we have to plan on taking part in them. Having a seasonal approach will help but we also must be willing to say no to lesser matters that will never bring the joy that we experience as the church gathered from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday.
- Read, Read, Read! – There many Christian books to read. Some are good and some are important. I would suggest though the some of your reading energies be reserved specifically for growth in understanding the resurrection and applying the reality of the resurrection. If you want to be a better spouse or parent. If you want to learn self control or work on your finances. If you desire to live pure as a single person or overcome anger, despair or any number of relational problems. If you want to get past your distorted thinking which leads to rude behavior. For all of this and so much more you must appropriate what Paul taught in Colossians 3:1-3 – “set your mind.” Good books on the resurrection help put into practice the resurrection reality but more importantly we must read, read and read again the gospels. As you do, make notes (mentally or in some other way) every time Jesus mentions resurrection. Collect those notes and “think on them.” What does this mean that we are “raised up with Him?” This is why I highly recommend reading according to the Lectionary because it provides a continuity between the gospel, epistles, psalms and other O.T. books. It almost forces you to read intentionally about Jesus in the whole Bible.So what are some good books on the resurrection? Hmmmm.... I will have to get back to you on this one.
My next post will focus on some practical aspects of implementing these things and hopefully a suggested reading list on the Resurrection of our Lord. Thanks for reading.
